We have artex ceilings – ought to we get them smoothed over?

We’ve lived in our house for decades and are considering downsizing.

With all the school fees we’ve had to contend with over the years, the house has been a tad neglected.

We live in a four-bedroom detached house and have artex ceilings throughout – and we’re not sure what the point of artex is.

As we are considering selling the house, should we get all the artex smoothed over? Will it add value to our house?

If we get the artex smoothed over, how much would it cost and are there any risks involved? 

Does asbestos have to be considered? And if we don’t get it removed, would this affect the price our home could fetch?

Jane Denton replies: In the context of ceilings and walls, artex is a textured coating developed using combs to form swirls, fan shapes or other patterns. It was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. 

Up until around the mid-1980s, asbestos, which is now known to be a health risk, was often used to strengthen artex. The use of asbestos was banned in 1999. 

Artex has fallen out of fashion and is often considered dated. Most prospective buyers will be looking for ceilings and walls with a smooth finish. 

As you are looking to downsize, it’s sensible to consider removing the artex in your house. However, a key issue for you to ascertain at the outset is whether or not asbestos is present. 

Let’s turn to a chartered surveyor, an artex expert and an estate agent to work out the best course of action and outline the potential implications on the price you could get for your property. 

David Parish, a chartered surveyor at Gates, Parish & Co, Upminster, said: If you do nothing about the artex ceilings now, they will draw the attention of surveyors and estate agents later down the line. 

In certain circumstances, artex ceilings or walls can contain asbestos. Before listing the house, it would be a good idea to get the artex in your property tested by a licenced contractor to determine whether or not asbestos is present. 

If asbestos is present, you should consider removing the artex before listing the property. 

Any asbestos would need to be removed by a professional and disposed of in a safe manner. The ceilings would then need to be replaced, which could be quite expensive. 

It will not cost a lot of money to get the ceilings tested for asbestos and would serve you well later on.    

In my experience, artex ceilings found in properties often don’t contain asbestos. 

If you chose to list the property without getting the artex tested or the ceilings replaced, it could lead to a price reduction. Prospective buyers will find out what it will cost to resolve the issue. 

Adam Calver, a director at Shadow Environmental Services in Hertfordshire, said: I come across many homeowners who are looking to sell their homes and the prospective new owner raises a red flag regarding possible asbestos. 

This often leads to counter offers to cover costs or the sale breaking down. 

We have to assume the artex contains asbestos, until proven that it does not. 

To have an asbestos survey carried out on a four-bedroom property will cost you in the region of £300 to £400, depending on your location. 

You could even opt for a simple asbestos sample test for half of the survey cost.

If your artex does not contain asbestos, then smoothing the ceiling over would not, in my view, add value to the property once you take the costs into consideration.

If the artex does have a trace of chrysotile asbestos, you can leave it in place and make the new owner aware, or remove it entirely. 

Unless asbestos is disturbed, it does not pose a risk.

Many people ask the question: ‘Can we just smooth over the artex even if it contains asbestos?’ The answer is yes, you can. 

But you are effectively wallpapering over the cracks with this tactic. The asbestos will still pose a risk to anyone who carries out work on the ceiling, even when it is covered. 

In regards to the longevity of the artex ceilings if they are skimmed over, I have seen cracks start to form in some cases. This means the artex becomes visible again, taking the homeowner back to square one.

My recommendation would be to have an asbestos survey carried out to find out if there is any asbestos present. 

If you have a negative result, it may be best to leave it as it is and keep the results for the new owner. 

If you have a positive sample result on the artex ceiling, then removal of the plasterboard entirely could be your best option. 

Once this has been completed it would then need to be re-boarded and skimmed by a plasterer. The costs involved could be between £2,500 to £3,250 to remove the ceilings and near enough the same again for new ceilings. 

Although it may not add a huge amount of value to your property, you are more likely to get your asking price. 

A modern smooth ceiling with new light fittings will certainly be nice on the eye when someone walks through the door.

If you are planning to have asbestos removal work carried out, remember to check insurances and certification before the work starts. 

The removal of asbestos is highly regulated and should only be carried out by fully qualified asbestos trained operatives. 

Once a removal is completed you should be issued with a waste consignment note and a reassurance air test report, if you decide to have one carried out.

Marc von Grundherr, a director at Benham and Reeves, said: If you decide to remove the artex in your home you have three main options.

You can either remove the ceiling coverings including the artex finish, fit a false ceiling below the artex finish, or skim or plaster over the artex.

If you are able to remove the ceiling in one piece, the chances of disturbing any asbestos are very low. 

It’s only once the artex is damaged that it could be potentially dangerous.

The most common way to remove artex is to use a steamer and then scrape or sand it off, but this can be extremely risky if asbestos is present.

Having a plasterer skim over the artex is a far safer option, however, it’s only a realistic one if the artex is in good condition, and even then it can fail over time.

Artex itself won’t necessarily devalue your home, however, the presence of asbestos certainly will. 

So once tested and discovered, you may well want to take action before your home reaches the market.

If the artex is asbestos free, then it’s unlikely to reduce the value of your home per se and if money is an issue, you’re better off adjusting your asking price a tad to account for the dated decor than stomaching the hefty upfront cost of artex removal.